Author's Note:

TThanks for your lovely reviews, I really didn't think this story'd take off but it seems a lot of you like it so it pleased me ^.^

Enjoy, Love, Review!

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Eyes Of Reminiscence

Eight

Sesshomaru sighed as he leaned against the archway that marked the entrance the grand gardens, the lustrous natural beauty which Inu-no-Taishou recently had altered to suit the tastes of Izayoi. "Nonsense", Sesshomaru remembered saying to his father, "such a trifling thing could not please a woman", but he was wrong, Izayoi had liked it, in fact she'd showered his father with endless thanks and smiles, as he walked her through it for the first time, her arm in his. But it seemed that another besides Izayoi had taken a liking to the new gardens. Sesshomaru's eyes watched the silver head of the little half-demon dart in and out of the shrubberies, striving to keep up with the games of the others.

It wasn't apparent to Sesshomaru, when he'd exactly started watching his little brother like a hawk, but he knew it was something to do with when his father had ordered him to 'baby-sit' the half-demon back when he first came to the castle. For that was the time he'd realised that he wasn't quite as repulsed by this 'half-breed' as he'd thought prior to his arrival in the castle, in fact, he'd secretly found he quite enjoyed his prudishness and laughter. Hence though Sesshomaru would always protest greatly to playing with Inuyasha, he honestly didn't mind in the least. And while Inuyasha may delight in having his big brother indulge him in his games, he wanted to play with the other children as well, like anormalchild would. Only Inuyasha can't see that they aren't playing with him, Sesshomaru thought, they're teasing him, tormenting him…

"Go and get the ball moron!" Sesshomaru was shaken from his recollections at the sound of another child's voice, and seeing Inuyasha's hair whip round through the greenery, darting after the ball which had landed conveniently at Sesshomaru's feet. Inuyasha ran forwards, pausing only a few inches before Sesshomaru, raising his head to stare up at his brother with large golden eyes.

"Good afternoon, Little Brother. What are you doing?" Sesshomaru asked in his usual monotone. A wide smile spread across Inuyasha's face. Sesshomaru blinked.

"Satoru and the others are letting me play with them, Sesshomaru!" he practically squealed in excitement, snatching the ball up into his hands, but still standing and staring curiously at his brother. The demon lord almost smiled, glad that the half-demon's fangs had finally come through properly, and no longer had that temporary 'lisp' that was caused by them growing through, which made his name, 'Sesshomaru', sound something more along the lines of 'Sessoumawu', or even worse - 'Sesshy'. Those times when Inuyasha had called him either of those names made him want to slam his head against the wall. Thankfully, Inuyasha had finally started to grow out of it.

"Hey! You what're you-" Sesshomaru looked up upon hearing that familiar voice, seeing the source of it come dashing out from behind the foliage, followed by four other children. The demon lord smirked at how his sentence had faltered upon seeing Sesshomaru there, yes it was amusing.

"I didn't see them playing with you, Little Brother," the demon said, causing Inuyasha to frown slightly, and the other's to shudder in the insinuation of those words.

"But they were! They were Sesshomaru," Inuyasha pouted. "They were letting me play ball with them!"

"Indeed. They were letting you play games with them in your gardens?" the children swallowed slightly at the glare they each received in turn. "Just see to it you aren't the brunt of any jokes, Little Brother." Inuyasha blinked, not really understanding, but that didn't matter, the message was aimed at Satoru and the others.

Despite the happiness in Inuyasha's face as he ran off after the others, Sesshomaru knew that if the half-demon had any idea what those children were really doing when they 'played' with him, he wouldn't be happy at all. They were being cruel to him, and Inuyasha couldn't see it.

"Father." Inu-no-Taishou turned slowly in the chair of his study, glancing over to his oldest son.

"Sesshomaru, how are you doing? Is there something I can do for you?"

"Father you have to stop this, that boy - Satoru and the others, they torment him! Treat him like dirt under their feet when really they should be showing him respect. He's their better and they treat him like shit!"

"Sesshomaru." The younger demon silenced at the gentle warning in his father's voice, "watch your language, I'll not have my heirs using such profanities." Sesshomaru nodded slowly.

"I apologise, Father. However I-"

"-Children will be children, my son; playing with them makes Inuyasha happy, and in doing so they may come to see what many of the demons today do not, that Inuyasha is no different from them."

"They do not, Father, you cannot see because you're too blinded by your ideals of Inuyasha's life - blinded by your desperate need for Inuyasha face-value happiness, but they're mocking him. You're so optimistic and hopeful for his life that you can't see that-"

"-I can see, Sesshomaru. Why do you think that I brought him here in the first place? Because there are people who look down on both him and his mother, and I won't have them trodden down like that." Sesshomaru watched as his father leaned back in his chair and sighed, rubbing his temples with his clawed fingers. "Trust me Sesshomaru, one day, everything will be okay. I promise." Sesshomaru turned, departing the room. You've said that to me before, Father, Sesshomaru thought, back when I was still a child, a good seven-hundred years ago…

Descending the stairs, Sesshomaru glanced thoughtfully out the archways that overlooked the gardens that Inuyasha and his mother had taken so kindly to. I suppose such a lively little thing needs fresh air and the scents of wildlife in his lungs, he thought affectionately, pausing on the stairs, scouring the grounds for his younger brother. His mature, golden eyes found him, but the sight far from pleased him. Reaching up with his hands he pulled himself up swiftly onto the ledge. Leaping from it he landed square on his feet on the ground below.

"Stop it! STOP IT PLEASE! MAKE THEM STOP!" Roars of laughter sounded through the courtyard, the cruel hollow laughter of the children as Inuyasha's clawed fingertips dug into the bark of the tree, his claws clutching, hanging desperately into the branches as he scrambled up. "PLEASE!!! CALL THEM OFF!!!"

"You're a dog demon aren't you? Call them off yourself!" Satoru goaded, smirking at the snarling dogs snapping at Inuyasha small feet as he tried to pull himself higher. "Or isn't that just it? Half-Breed!" Inuyasha whimpered, hearing the familiar insult but not understanding it - not caring, just struggling to yank himself upwards. "Half-breed, even the dogs know! Even the lowest form of creature knows you're less than them! YOU'RE A HALF-BREED! NOT EVEN A PERSON! YOU'RE A THING!"

"ENOUGH!!!" Inuyasha turned his head at the sound of his brother's voice raised. Sesshomaru raised his hand, claws catching into flesh as he backhanded the child's face.

"AAAAAAAH!!!!" A morbid look of satisfaction crossed Sesshomaru's features as the boy, Satoru stumbled backwards, landing on his backside and rolling in the dirt in pure agony. "My face! My face is burning!!!"

"You damned whippet! May it burn that goading look of triumph from your repulsive face!"

The boy let out a squeal as the four long gashes from Sesshomaru's claws burned with the poison. "MAKE IT STOP!" Sesshomaru's mouth quirked into a sneer.

"'Make it stop?' Isn't that what Inuyasha asked? Don't everpresume you can torment a member of this family and get away with it you bastard child! When I'm the lord here I'll hang your type by your fingers, and let my poison eat you alive from the inside out!" Sesshomaru couldn't help but fail to let the smile drop from his face at hearing the spiteful creature's cries of pain.

"SESSHOMARU!" Turning, roused from his amusement by his younger brother's screaming plea. Darting forwards, the dogs turned on feeling Sesshomaru's presence, fixing him with a glaring look, snarling viciously. Returning their snarls with a stern growl, the dogs yelped, ears dropping against their heads as they limped away, unharmed but certainly fearful, tails determinedly between their legs.

"Drop, Little Brother, its safe now." Upon hearing Sesshomaru's words, Inuyasha's claws retracted from the bark, and he allowed himself to drop down. Catching his younger brother under his arms, (and mindful of his claws) Sesshomaru set Inuyasha gently on his feet.

"I'm sorry Sesshomaru! I'm sorry! It's my fault! I-"

"-Stop apologising. It wasn't your fault, in no way or form. They've been tormenting you like this for years, and for no good reason. It's not your fault, it's theirs, and they deserve to suffer for it." Inuyasha blinked his watering eyes at his brother nodding slowly, wiping his tear-strewn face on the baggy sleeve of his kimono.

"Se-Sesshomaru…" Inuyasha began quietly, only just heard over Satoru's cries, "I-"

"What's going on here?"

Sesshomaru raised his gaze from Inuyasha, the little half-demon cowering behind Sesshomaru's silk-clad legs as their father entered the gardens, followed closely by Izayoi, Lord Eisuke and a few of the other elders. The voice was stern, and loud, but not raised.

"What's happened?" Glancing down at the screaming boy on the floor, and the other children backed as far into the shrubbery as possible. "Sesshomaru. What's happened?" When the question repeated, their father's voice was raised as loud as it could go without shouting. Inu-no-Taishou passed a fleeting look over the trembling Inuyasha, frowning slightly in confusion before stalking over to his sons, meeting Sesshomaru's eyes. "I can tell Sesshomaru. Those are your claw marks and that is your poison."

"What have you done?!" screamed Eisuke, darting over and cradling his agonised son. "Satoru! What happened?"

"Sesshomaru," the said demon tore his eyes from the sight of Eisuke and Satoru at his father's commanding tone. "Fix this. Fix him immediately."

"No."

"Sesshomaru."

"No Father."

"You strike down and child? Turn your poison on a child? You refuse to revoke it?"

"Yes, Father."

Inu-no-Taishou frowned once more; he was beginning to get angry.

"How dare you, a full grown demon turn your power against a mere boy?" the demon lord scolded, and Sesshomaru refrained from rolling his eyes.

"If the boy is old enough to set the dogs on Inuyasha - his physical and political better, and is old enough to attack a young mind and esteem, then he's old enough to accept the punishment for it."

Inu-no-Taishou watched him closely, his vibrant golden eyes swaying occasionally to Inuyasha, who was still looking up at him with unusually fearful eyes.

Slowly, the demon lord dropped down to his youngest son's level, prying his little clawed hand from Sesshomaru's kimono.

"Inuyasha?" said boy raised furrowed brows to his father's face. "Has it really been that bad?" he asked quietly, so quiet Inuyasha only just managed to hear. "Answer me honestly." Glancing quickly over to the boys lingering close by, and then back to his father, Inuyasha nibbled his lower lip timidly.

"Yes Daddy…"

Eventually, after what seemed like forever, Inu-no-Taishou raised himself once again to his feet.

"Sesshomaru."

"Yes, Father?"

"I trust you," the demon lord said simply, taking Inuyasha's small hand, leading him away from the gardens. "Come, Inuyasha, I'll take you for a walk in the forest - the one you like so much…"

Sesshomaru knew what his father meant by those words, "I trust you". He watched his father and brother disappear into the hall, and again, that smirk twitched at his lips.

"Well don't just stand there gawping at him!" Sesshomaru turned his nearly polite gaze to Lord Eisuke as he spoke. "Fix him!" The silver-haired demon moved forwards, the children and the other few demons taking a few steps back in response.

"On condition, Lord Eisuke," Sesshomaru said softly, "that the brat admits he was wrong…"

"What?! How dare you?!" Sesshomaru ignored the outburst of the enraged, arrogant demon at Eisuke's side.

"I'M SORRY!" Satoru howled, his hand clutched over the disintegrating flesh of his face, "I APOLOGISE! I WAS WRONG! MAKE IT STOP!" Sesshomaru sneered.

"I can't hear you. Say it louder."

"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!" Seeming to be accepting that as adequate apology, and moved forwards (none too quickly) and seized the boy by the scruff of his neck. Eisuke looked positively mortified as Sesshomaru pulled the boy's burning face close to his own, and to Satoru's absolute revulsion, the older demon allowed his gathered saliva to seep onto his face and into the wound, effectively sealing it. Dropping the boy carelessly on his backside, Sesshomaru stared down at him with expressionless eyes.

"And let that be a lesson to you,boy." Even as his own words still rang inside his mind, Sesshomaru knew that no lesson would be learned; even if Satoru didn't, there would always be those who tormented Inuyasha, and he sure as hell wouldn't be able to catch them all red-handed. But I can certainly try, he thought. Realising that though Inuyasha's childish ability to be easily amused, had allowed him to have this particular incidentto be overlooked, it would not always be erased from his little mind.

"Sesshomaru?" The said demon turned upon hearing his name later on that day, as evening began to give way to night, fixing his golden gaze upon his father's mate.

"What is it, Lady Izayoi?" The human approached him slowly, laying a frail, delicate hand on his armoured shoulder.

"I wish to thank you, for what you did for Inuyasha today. I arrived on the scene the same time as you, but you acted before I, so I went to fetch Inu-no-Taishou…" She paused a moment, before venturing to continue, "I am not as fortunate as you, unable to show my true feelings for Lord Eisuke and his...followers," Sesshomaru's lips quirked into a smile upon realising the other words she would muchrather have used. "Because I'm your father's mate, I can't retaliate in such a way."

"Indeed, and father does not understand… Though he loves Inuyasha dearly, I don't believe he is able to see how deeply the taunts and jibes cut into him. In any case, you don't need to thank me, your kind words and gestures would be better bestowed upon Inuyasha at this present time, comforting him after the day's events." Izayoi released his shoulder, taking a seat on the stone-carved bench next to Sesshomaru, both gazing thoughtfully at the fountain; a calm, quiet listener to every conversation or problem.

"He doesn't need consoling…not this time. Your father took him out to the forest today; the one Inuyasha seems to be keen on. He has named it after Inuyasha now," she said with one of her knowing smiles, the kind that caused Sesshomaru to hold such respect for her. She and Inuyasha had arrived in the castle when Inuyasha was only around forty years old (the demon equivalent of four), and in the last sixty or so years, Sesshomaru had come not only to revoke his hatred of Inuyasha, but on Izayoi as well. Growing out of his 'adolescent tantrum' the demon had come to quite like the both of them, and though no one would ever replace his own mother, if there was anyone to be sitting at his father's side, where his mother once was, he'd rather it was Izayoi. Izayoi who was so knowledgeable and open-minded, especially for a human, so unselfish and caring, she wasn't like other humans, nor demons, in many ways Sesshomaru felt an unnamed similarity between them, provoking his acceptance of her.

"Just like father," Sesshomaru sighed, "he doesn't know how to pacify Inuyasha's tears so he buys him off with overblown gestures." Izayoi turned to look at him.

"It wasn't like that Sesshomaru, your father just wanted Inuyasha to be happy, and that's all." The demon met her eyes, blinking silently.

"I suppose so."

"Sesshomaru?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember the first time you met Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru cocked a brow curiously at her question. Of course he did, demon abilities and frozen aging made his, (and any other high level demon) have exceptional memory capabilities. "Your father brought you over to my father's castle the night Inuyasha was born, and you both defeated Lord Takemaru. Do you remember?" Sesshomaru nodded slowly, still unsure of where this was headed.

"Indeed, I recall, quite vividly in fact."

The now eternally young woman smiled in recollection.

"I still remember it, the bewildered look on your face as your father passed Inuyasha to you." The demon's confusion only arose further as she sighed softly once more, her handsome face bearing a deep look of reminiscence. "You holding Inuyasha for the first time, now that was an image I believe I'll never forget."

"Lady Izayoi-"

"-Sesshomaru please. Sixty years I've shared a home with you and your father, and Inuyasha; not forgetting the forty odd years I'd known you before, don't you think it's about time you started calling me just 'Izayoi'?" She stared at him, bearing a kind of motherly insistence, which Sesshomaru wasn't used to.

When the silver-haired demon had been silent for quite some time, Izayoi spoke once more, reverting back to her original subject. "You know how much you mean to Inuyasha, don't you?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you're implying."

"Even back then he followed you around like a little lost pup; he relies on you, even now, not just as his brother but as a man as well - a man who doesn't have many other people to rely on in this world. And should…should anything ever…happen to me…or Inu-no-Taishou….or even both of us…Would you promise me you'll look after Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru frowned.

"What nonsense you speak, nothing will happen to you or father, you have no need of such a promise."

"Please, Sesshomaru. I'm asking you to promise me that you'll always look out for him, no matter what." Fixing her with a still very much perplexed gaze, Sesshomaru had to wonder where all this was coming from.

"I promise…"

***

"Inuyasha!!!" The half-demon stopped at Sesshomaru's voice. "Be careful," Inuyasha frowned, "don't look at me like that, these revolutionaries are after her for more reason than we first thought, I'm sure of it, and by throwing yourself between her and them like this, you're putting yourself in danger, understand?"
"Of course I understand! I don't care! She's all I think about! She's all I need, all I breathe! I won't let them hurt her anymore!"

Sesshomaru nodded.

"I understand, just make sure that when all is said and done, you bring my brother back as well as Kagome." Nodding resolutely, Inuyasha darted off down the corridor, swinging his legs over the banister to land in the halls below.

Screams filled the air, as did the fresh scent of blood, and it made his nose turn in disgust. Winding in and out of the frantic crowds, Inuyasha sniffed as hard as he dared, trying to get a fix on Kagome's location. Shit, he thought, it's all mixed up; I can't separate one smell from the next! "Kagome!"

"My Lord! My Lord, Please help!" Inuyasha turned, meeting the face of one of the servants. "My Lord. What's happening? Why are they here? Who are they?"

"It's alright, just round up as many people as you can and lead everyone to the safe house. Sesshomaru is headed there to ensure everyone's safety, he'll protect you." The woman nodded hysterically, seizing the hand of the small girl beside her and shooting off in the direction she was instructed.

Even with the confusion and hassle of the people in the hall, Inuyasha knew where he was headed, where his mother would go. Just under two-hundred-years he'd spent hiding and playing in the many passages, hidden and unhidden, he knew them all by heart, could navigate them in the dark even. The castle wasn't infiltrated often, but when he was smaller, over the span of a year (conveniently the first year he was there) they were attacked several times. After the Revolutionaries realised Inu-no-Taishou wasn't to be trifled with, the attacks stopped. This is the first one in decades, but I can still remember what it was like back then…

Brief flashes, came back to him then, as weaved deftly through the corridors and passageways that lay unnoticed to anyone else. Flashes of his mother bursting into his nursery, where he was playing, seizing his little body and pulling him desperately to her. His father was there too, hurrying the two of them into the 'Hiding place', mother shushing him all the while, even when the hollow beyond the walls fell dark with the closing of the secret door. He knew, just knew somehow that his mother would take Kagome there. She was with her after all. Mother will keep her safe, I know she will…

Practically throwing open the door to his parent's room, his racing heart easing slightly as he saw the door to the old nursery open. That means they've been here, thank god! Following the old route into a room he spent a great deal of his childhood in, Inuyasha's eyes roamed the grand fire-place, clawed fingers snagging in that familiar recess, and pulling at the specific joint he remembered. As many times as he'd seen it, his eyes never failed to widen with awe as the doorway open to him, revealing the welcoming dark.

No sooner than his bare feet touched the cool stone inside the passage, than Inuyasha practically wanted to heave in revulsion. Bile and vomit, that's what he smelled, not at all like he remembered. The sweet smell of crushed herbs and incense, that's what he recalled, it was a smell that had always comforted him in the past, and the fact that it wasn't here now, that was unsettling. I always thought this place was the safest in the world, and now to feel so…so anxious about it…it doesn't feel natural…

"Kagome? Mother? Are you here?" he called as loudly as he dared, pulling the lever to close the entrance behind him.

"Inuyasha?" His ears pricked as he heard his mother utter his name, and darted forwards in the darkness, his heightened senses permitting his eyes to just make out the outline of his mother, with her arm round Kagome's shoulders. "Thank goodness you're safe, Inuyasha!" The half-demon dropped to their side.

"Kagome? Kagome, are you okay?" Kagome nodded slowly, reaching towards him with shaky arms.

"I feel really bad, Inuyasha…All dizzy…and…my whole body hurts…I feel really weak - I'm gonna be sick again."

"Again?" Inuyasha asked, jumping as Kagome suddenly threw herself from his chest, heaving up whatever was left in her stomach - or rather, what wasn't in there.

"She was sick before, I guess the dizziness from the dark got to her," Izayoi whispered distantly, as Inuyasha rubbed Kagome's back gently.

"You're safe here. Father will send the signal soon…like he always does." He was saying it more to calm Kagome's nerves, which he could sense were fraying, along with her racing heartbeat. She was scared. Scrap that, she was terrified!

Gently patting Kagome's back a final time, Inuyasha got to his feet, waving his hand blindly around the shelf which he remembered was there, his fingers snagging hold of the incense candles. Kagome raised her head at seeing the flickering light, not realising what Inuyasha was doing until he had finished. Lighting the final candle, Inuyasha set the holder on the shelf, it wasn't for light, the tiny flickering flames didn't serve for much of that, but it would cover the smell that offended both Inuyasha's and Kagome's noses so strongly right now. He didn't think it wise she be sick again if she could help it, especially since he could tell there was nothing but bile to the last two times. There wasn't anything left in her stomach for her to bring back up.

"Here Kagome," Inuyasha said softly to her, stripping himself of his red kimono, bunching it up and laying it on the floor, pressing her head gently down to her make-shift pillow. "If you lie down you won't feel so dizzy." She nodded slightly, her hand squeezing his; as if afraid he'd disappear.

"Inuyasha…" the half-demon looked over in the direction of his mother's hushed voice.

"What is it Mother?"

"Inuyasha…I have something I think you should know…"

His heart missed a beat. It had calmed once he'd found Izayoi and Kagome, but on hearing the secretiveness in his mother's voice, panic began to rise once more.

"W-What's wrong?" He wet his lips nervously.

"I…come here one moment." Inuyasha glanced quickly down at Kagome in the darkness, seeing her eyes closed, obviously drifting somewhere between a light doze and awareness. Tugging his suddenly quivering hand gently from Kagome's hold, Inuyasha shuffled closer to his mother's side, watching her dark eyes for some sign, a clue for what was to come. "Do you trust me, Inuyasha?" The half-demon's dark brow quirked in bewilderment.

"M-Mother of course I do! Why would you-"

"-And you trust my judgement?"

"What's this all about?"

"I…I don't know if you'll take it as good news or bad news…given our current situation, and the situation with Katsura and the revolutionaries…But I…I have reason to believe that…Kagome is expecting…" Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"W-What? Are y-you saying that…?" His quiet voice trailed off, he didn't know what to say, or how to say it. For the moment he'd even seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.

"I'm saying…I can tell…She's pregnant, I'm sure of it…"

TBC

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A/N: Not much else to say except sorry there wasn't as much InuyashaxKagome as you'd like. And please don't kill me for the cliffhanger, and the more people that review the more likely I am to update ^_^ So review 'cause you wuv me XD

Shigure-san

x chuu x